A new website, the first in the UK, to support people in West, North and East Cumbria managing persistent pain, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Medically Unexplained Symptoms went live on 12th July.

The Persistent Physical Symptoms Service at Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust have developed the online support for patients and health care professionals to access advice and support.

Dr David Rogers, Medical Director, NHS North Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “There has been a lot of work across the system to ensure we provide the right kind of service, offering a range of support for people who experience persistent, and often medically unexplained, pain and other symptoms. The service provides comprehensive evidence-based support, using a range of professionals, from physiotherapists to psychologists.”

Elspeth Desert, Clinical Director for the Persistent Physical Symptoms Service said “Having this fantastic resource available for our patients and colleagues here in Cumbria will ensure we have the best tools available to improve the quality of life of the hundreds of people in the county currently living with persistent pain and fatigue and other conditions. It will really make a difference to the care we can offer and to people’s lives.”

The website highlights the vast amount of current research available to clinicians and patients on what is now known about the causes of pain and what can aide recovery. It helps provide patients with the resources and tools to help self-manage their persistent symptoms and achieve a better quality of life. Patient stories are included in the website explaining how their symptoms have been successfully managed; often they have lived with these symptoms for a number of years.